The Making Of Act Of Valor

Act Of Valor: The Military's Ulterior Motive

Meanwhile, after several recent high-profile missions, a number of production companies are now angling for their very own SEAL projects. (Disney even attempted — and failed — to trademark the “SEAL Team 6,” the name of the unit responsible for bringing down Bin Laden.) But as the first film to begin as a Naval Special Warfare project, Act of Valor is clearly a little different. It’s relatively apolitical, a testament to the soldiers and their heroic sacrifices. But there’s also an obvious end to these means: Once all the gunfire subsides, a dedication to military personnel around the globe segues into “all who will be called on in the future.”

Meanwhile, Keith Urban implores us to ask, “Could I make that sacrifice?” as he croons over the end credits, alongside images of more real-life soldiers. And if Act of Valor is a success, it will be on the Navy’s terms, with a shift in how the general public views the SEALs and an increase in enlistment, as opposed to an increase in a company’s bottom line.

Regardless of its message, Act of Valor is one seriously thrilling, satisfying action movie, as it uses its unique assets to create some of the most visually impressive and realistic action sequences in recent memory. McCoy and Waugh are former stuntmen, so the major set pieces — and, really, the entire second half of the film is nonstop action — are filmed with refreshing clarity, designed to show potential recruits every movement made by the highly trained stars. And even though it ends up with a body count to rival anything produced by Sylvester Stallone in recent years, Act of Valor features short, controlled firefights that emphasize cooperation and communication as opposed to superman heroics.

As the SEALs move from skirmish to skirmish (each showcasing a different piece of military hardware), they crisscross the globe, from the Philippines to Costa Rica to Africa to Mexico. The mission-based approach to plot, along with frequent use of a POV shooting style thanks to helmet-mounted cameras, makes Act of Valor play out like a live-actionCall of Duty, something that ought to appeal to a generation raised on first-person shooters. Act of Valor “puts you in the boots,” so to speak, in the hopes that you’ll put on the boots when all’s said and done.

But the appeal here isn’t just guys and their toys; it’s also the brotherhood between the SEALs. And even though character development isn’t exactly one of Act of Valor’s strong suits, much is made of the bond between the soldiers. It’s what the military has always offered young men, no matter how they’ve tried to sell it. Be part of something. Join the brotherhood. Find your purpose in life. Serve your country. Blow sh*t up.

The message hasn’t changed. It’s just how that message is being delivered that has grown more sophisticated.